Y/n and Commodus had spent the day navigating the complexities of the imperial court, the weight of power always hanging heavily in the air. They had shared quiet moments, their words often drowned by the demands of those around them. As night descended upon the palace, the grand halls were finally quiet, save for the occasional footsteps of the guards.

They found themselves in a lavishly adorned room, lit only by the soft glow of a few scattered candles. Commodus, usually full of ambition and force, seemed to have shed his usual intensity. He was seated by the large window, the moonlight casting shadows across his face, revealing a rare moment of vulnerability.

Y/n sat nearby, watching him. Despite his bravado, she had learned over time that beneath the surface of his imperial persona was a young man burdened by expectations, fear, and a profound loneliness. Tonight, those walls seemed to crumble.

"Do you ever feel like the weight of the world is too much to bear?" Commodus asked softly, not looking at Y/n but speaking as if the question was for himself as much as for her.

Y/n leaned back against the pillows, her eyes half-lidded, considering his words. "I think," she began, her voice just above a whisper, "that even the strongest of us have moments when we feel it. But sometimes, we need to rest. To let go for just a while."

He turned his head slightly toward her, his expression unreadable, though there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes.

After a long silence, Y/n shifted, sitting up fully now, her gaze locked onto his. "Come. Rest with me."

For a moment, Commodus hesitated. It was not so much that he feared the vulnerability of it, but rather the thought of being seen without the grandeur of his title, without the armor of a ruler. But then, as though yielding to some unspoken truth between them, he nodded. Slowly, he stood and crossed the room, lowering himself beside Y/n on the soft bedding.

Neither of them spoke as the minutes stretched on. The room was still, save for the distant sounds of the palace. Commodus, not one to ever admit to weakness, felt the pull of exhaustion more keenly tonight. Y/n's presence was calm, grounding. It felt like a gentle permission to simply be, not as Commodus, the Emperor, but as a man.

In time, Y/n's breathing deepened, her body relaxing into the comfort of sleep. Commodus, though not yet asleep, felt his own tension slowly slip away. The weight on his chest lifted just slightly. He turned onto his side, facing her, the quiet of the room wrapping them in a rare moment of peace.

The darkness around them grew deeper, and for the first time in a long while, Commodus allowed himself to fall asleep, his mind quiet, at least for tonight.